Some graduate students spend their time working on abstract master thesis projects that probably won’t have much bearing on the world. Others, like Freebord founder Steen Strand, spend their time actually creating stuff that benefits humanity. Conceived during Strand’s time at Stanford University, the Freebord is an awesome product that combines skateboarding with its wintery cousin, snowboarding. Basically, the Freebord is a skateboard with bindings and an innovative truck design that adds a third pivoting wheel to the mix; this allows you to slide your board to the side and experience a snowboard-like ride on asphalt. We put together a little video with two experienced Freeborders who can explain the product way better than we can so have a look and you’ll see why we’re so geeked to recommend it to you. It’s a cool way to spend your summer months and it’ll get your butts off the couch so your parents won’t rag on you for staying inside all day. Best of all, there’s a thriving community that welcomes new riders and organized Freebord rides in cities all around the world, so you probably won’t have any trouble finding someone to help you get started.
John Laudin and Steve Bianco had a ride in Mukilteo, Washington and it was fat! The legendary Steve Keeley came out and bombed on the “Mathilda” 112 he has kept in pristine order since the AM Team years. Drew, Justin, Doug, Jake, Kyle, David, Matt, Chad, Greg, Nick, Taylor, Ryan and Logan all showed their skill too. Props to Taylor for hooking it up with a place to call home and a sick night of beer drinking! Special thanks to Ryan, Taylor, and Bra Bra for celebrating my half-birthday and helping me eat and drink some bomb food and beer.
Freebord setup – what do you ride? I religiously ride 80cm decks, right now it’s a Revolt with S2’s, Slashers and Joyride 84a centres, soon it will be a Riot 80cm.
Your signature Freebord move: It’s my best linked combo …Jump to nose press up onto raised platform + 5-10m press + 180 off 1.5m drop.
Influences in life? Definitely my mum, she raised the family like a hero. Not only is she a fantastic mother but she’s one of my best friends too. But more importantly just trusting God.
If you could have any company sponsor to go along with Freebord who would it be? Maybe a parachute company? I wanna go BIG. Nah I know It seems repetitive but I would actually like to be sponsored by a shoe company, probably DC as well.
Worst bail? I was riding an Alpha and I don’t think it had bindings. I was just learning and I was “confidently” “bombing” a hill (I really wasn’t good at all) and I got stuck floating on my centre wheels and just froze up. I ended up catching a heel edge, falling back and knocking my head bad (it bounced back pretty aggressively) and then I nearly got run over.
Words to Live By: LET GO
Your favorite freebord rider out there? It would have to be Mavick, he goes so hard that self-preservation goes out the window, he is also a legend.
Top 5 songs of all time?
1. Overture – Patrick Wolf
2. American buy feat. Kanye West – Estelle
3. Feels like Home – Newton Faulkner
4. Reflect the storm – In Flames
5. Selling the drama – Live
John Laudin and Steve Bianco hit up Boise, Idaho to see what was up with the Freebord scene out there. The scene is alive and well. Chris and Ray from The Board Room got a good crew out to demo boards and even got on one themselves! Scope out Brian, Tim, Jake, Cordell, Chris, Ray, T.J., Jeff, and Rand. Shout out to Cordell for keeping the stoke alive, hit me up if you move to Sonoma! Props to everyone else for shredding first day out, less than 4 hours of riding and hommie is busting pop 3’s!
Only less then a year ago I started dialing in the 50/50 grind on a Freebord. Although it seems like a fairly hard trick to accomplish, after watching this footage you can see the grind is quite simple – once locked in it coasts like a rollercoaster. In this video of my attempt to hit the 18 stair ledge all I needed was my trucks to lock-in and I’d be on my way, but it didn’t happen until after the 4th try.
The first thing that went wrong was my speed; I was rolling way too fast into this ledge. The slight down lip at the edge of the set only increased my speed making me over shoot my placement of the front truck. Since the ledge is so narrow the front truck rolled over the other side putting me in a front board. Instantly the board stopped, and made me catch my backside edge tossing me upside down to the last 10 stairs. After 2 more attempts I realized that I was going into this with too much speed and locked in correctly on the 4th try. I “almost” made it even though I landed with my feet first I crumbled to the ground, so its back to the park for more practice.
John Laudin and Steve Bianco had their last stop in Utah in the city of Bountiful. Hayden, Will, Austin, Hunter, Joey, Kris, and Braden. In case you guys didn’t notice Kris and Braden made it out to every Utah stop, now that is representing! Props to Will for shredding with the big dogs and thanks to everyone in Utah, riders or not, for representing.
Your best Freebord move: I can ride your mom with no handle bars.
Influences in life? H-Crew, the city of San Francisco, Freebording, and B5 for the crew.
If you could have any company sponsor to go along with Freebord who would it be? Trojan condoms, wouldn’t even tell people what I’m sponsored at just say “Mr. Trojan is breaking bread bitch”.
Worst bail? Not really a bail but i got smashed by a car in Daly, broke the windshield and the wiper but didn’t get hurt at all somehow.
Duncs: jackass or genius? The only thing genius about duncs is how masterfully he pulls off being a jackass.
Words to Live By: Just go until you find out where you have been headed.
Your favorite freebord rider out there? Macca or Andrew, Macca’s got the insane breakneck style of trying tricks that are above him and not giving a fuck that he’s going to get broke and its worth it at the end of the day because he seems to get them before hes to broke to move anymore. Mad respect to guys out there putting it all on line every day like him. Andrew just cares so little about being good, only about having fun which has turned him into one of the most calmly powerful freeborders out there. It seems that if he bothers to attempt the move he’s going to stick it the first time – then he walks away like its nothing. Doesn’t care about respect or bragging rights just cares about 6 wheels.
John Laudin and Steve Bianco headed north and ended up in Ogden, Utah. The ride was fat, in total 11 people aside from Steve and I rolled. Props to Hayden for hosting a sick ride! Keep your eye’s peeled for Garret, Colton, Ryan, Patrick, Matt, Skylar, Judd, Kris, Austin, Braden, and Hayden. Thanks for a sick ride guys, you all shred! Steve has all the cop footage so keep a look out for his vid!
Na zdraví! Freebord Czech Republic is up and running, thanks to our new Czech retailer Honza Kapolka. Peep the website here: www.freebords.cz for all the Freebord fotky, trucky and jízda you could ever want (hehehe). Also check the pics below of Honza and crew shredding it up – thanks Honza!
